Systemic effects of fluticasone on blood eosinophils in bronchiectasis

Brian Lipworth (Lead / Corresponding author), Rory Chan, Chris RuiWen Kuo

    Research output: Contribution to journalLetterpeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We read with interest the observations of Aliberti et al. [1] showing that blood eosinophilia predicts the quality of life response to inhaled fluticasone propionate (FP) in bronchiectasis, apparently independently of concomitant asthma or COPD. Pointedly they only appeared to have measured blood eosinophils at baseline and not during treatment with FP. This is pertinent as FP produces dose-dependent suppression of blood eosinophils due to systemic absorption from the lung. Hence, 1 mg of inhaled fluticasone in asthma patients is systemically equivalent to 5.3 mg of oral prednisolone for blood eosinophil suppression and 8.5 mg for cortisol suppression [2]. We would therefore be interested to know if similar improvements in quality of life occur in bronchiectasis in relation to blood eosinophilia with other inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) that exhibit much less systemic glucocorticoid potency, such as budesonide or beclmomethasone [3]. Also, it would be interesting to know if patients with bronchiectasis who have other elevated type-2 biomarkers, such as fractional exhaled nitric oxide, might also benefit from either inhaled FP or other ICS [4].

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number2002005
    JournalEuropean Respiratory Journal
    Volume56
    Issue number3
    Early online date3 Sept 2020
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2020

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Systemic effects of fluticasone on blood eosinophils in bronchiectasis'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this